Ransom Tavern | South Woodstock, VT

The Kedron Valley Inn is a brick colonial beacon of elegance on a dark December night, situated at a crossroads in South Woodstock, Vermont. Wide hewn wood floors and worn loom rugs give way to a procession of glass lamps and evergreen boughs dangling with dried oranges and Christmas ornaments. The Ransom Tavern is a bar full of intimate conversation over savory Neapolitan fare. 

Thick embroidered drapes hang in grand colonial windows. Eye-catching antiques, soothing artwork, and creamy upholstered furniture such as duo of royal blue velvet chairs framing a portrait of Abe Lincoln meet a festive, modern Vermont dining room. The brightly lit space is full of wooden tables, clipboard menus, cheerful waitresses, and an open kitchen backed by a wood fired pizza oven.  A convivial tavern is bustling with patrons and families. Reservations are recommended. 

The food is wonderfully good, soul nourishing, and executed with finesse. Cocktails abound from Nonna's Old Fashioned ($12) to the Wassail ($14) which comes steaming hot in a joyfully round teacup and saucer. The wine list is award-winning, I opt for a glass of R. Stuart + Co. Big Fire Pinot Noir ($14). It tastes of fig, rich cherry, and nutmeg. The Meatballs and Ricotta ($15) come with two nestled in a glistening red sauce. The Roasted Beets Salad ($15) hits just right with mixed greens, red and gold beets, goat cheese, and toasted pumpkin seeds in a maple vinaigrette. The pizzas achieve that outstandingly chewy meets crisp Neapolitan excellence, with topping combinations to swoon over. Consider a trio of mushrooms: shitake, cremini, and oyster, plus roasted garlic, mozzarella, arugula, and shaved parmesan over a fresh roasted butternut squash puree ~ The Gardener ($24) should be your #1 pizza pick.

Broccoli Rabe and Sausage ($24) lends a distinct flavor and spice from the fennel sausage, roasted red peppers, and an elegant chili oil. The Capricciosa ($28) with tomato sauce, artichokes, cotto ham, fresh mozzarella, and basil rounds out the parade of pizzas nicely. The kids ordered ice cream sundaes ($8) for dessert while the adults enjoyed a Tiramisu ($12) and a Mille Foglie ($12). With final sips of Carpineto Dogajolo Rosso ($11) we wound down our precious time at the Kedron Valley Inn.

From Church Hill Road to Peterkin Hill, we navigated the mountain back roads and excitedly crossed the Ottaqueechee River over Lincoln Covered Bridge. Crossing a covered bridge by happenstance is so quintessentially Vermont, a moment that always deserves just that - a moment.

Ransom Tavern | Kedron Valley Inn

4778 South Road

South Woodstock, VT 05071

Primo | Rockland, Maine

Primo is the best of the best. I unknowingly had this place on my bucket list ever since Anthony Bourdain / No Reservations / Season 6 / 2010. I say unknowingly because I forgot the name entirely for years, but, traveling up here sparked my memory of the show - and an elusive restaurant - a white farmhouse on a hill - in Rockland, Maine....

Surprise! That's where Bob scored reservations for our engagement dinner (obviously having not discussed any plans with me, definitely having no idea about my memories from watching the show many years prior.) Fun how things work out like that. Very serendipitous!

The experience was unforgettable and the staff treated us like royalty! Seriously, I had never felt so special, post engagement glow and all that.

Seared Husdon Valley Foie Gras ($22) | chive biscuit, seared strawberries, madeira jus
Oysters Rockefeller ($17) | baked in the wood oven w bacon butter, spinach + parmesan
Cabernet Franc, Chateau du Hureau ($48) | “Saumur~Champigny” 2010 France
Pan Roasted Halibut ($38) | Maine shrimp + corn, asparagus, fiddleheads, spoonbread
Pork Saltimbocca ($33) | roast garlic mash, garden spinach, prosciutto + mushroom, madeira jus
Banana Pudding Parfait | house made Nilla wafers and baked meringue

Also check out Eater New England's 38 Essential Restaurants. I was glad to see Primo on that list.

Primo

2 Main Street

Rockland, ME 04841

Islesboro Island + Camden | Maine

Maine....

The Way Life Should Be

Vacationland

A beautiful state to get engaged!

What a whirlwind this summer has been so far! I tend to get pulled away from the computer + blog the most in warmer months - more so than I would like even though I'm off enjoying life! Weekends have been filled with the unbeatable summer in New England routine - beach, lake, camping, hiking - then pile on extremely busy work weeks (and even a work weekend), add in weeknight blog events, a dash of planning for my sisters wedding shower and bachelorette party and it all adds up to less time for this little hobby!

June went by in a blink - we celebrated a lot - really soaked it all in and enjoyed telling friends and family about our engagement in person. We had a lot of home time and city time - cookouts, gardening, drinks and dinners. Simultaneously, I mourned the loss of a dear friend I've had since childhood, an unexpected death that really shook me and the entire Yarmouth/Dennis/Cape crew/community I grew up with. A reminder for sure to live it all to the fullest.

We spent 4th of July at the (sister in law + brother in law's) house on Lake Winnipesauke followed by a camping + hiking weekend in Crawford Notch. Back to back New Hampshire weekends in the Lakes Region and the White Mountain National Forest, respectively, reminded me of how much I love that state.

And how each New England state now holds a really special place! MA - everything! my forever home! // VT - my winter home! skiing! // NH - UNH! college! // CT - where both my parents grew up, endless family gatherings // and now ME - engaged! (Sorry, Rhode Island, I've got nothing of importance!) 

I digress. I wanted to share more Maine photos! Hope you enjoy!

1-5 | Maine State Ferry - Lincolnville --> Islesboro

6-11 | Exploring the charming, tiny Islesboro town center: Dark Harbor Shop / Antiques / Williams Bros. Plus a little engagement lunch from the Dark Harbor Shop counter - melted ham and swiss w tomato + onion on an English muffin.

12 - 18 | Our memorable Friday night dinner in downtown Camden at the distinctive + precious Harstone Inn. My stuffed lobster tail with parmesan risotto and zucchini + summer squash ribbons and that lemon poppy seed soufflé were so, so good. (Saturday night dinner coming in a separate post.)

19 - 24 | Camden Hills State Park: Camden Harbor views from Mount Battie Tower + a hike to the summit of Mount Megunticook.